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Lord Mayor of Portsmouth

Richard Jensen was elected councillor for St Thomas Ward (Gunwharf, Old Portsmouth, Somerstown, and West Southsea) on 4 May 2006.

Previously he has chaired the Governance and Audit Committee, and has served on the Licensing and Standards committees, the Policy and Review (Performance) Panel, and scrutiny Panels A and C.

Richard moved to Portsmouth with his family in 1976 at the age of 4, and attended Cumberland and Craneswater Schools, and Priory. He then studied for his A-levels at the Portsmouth Sixth Form College (now Portsmouth College) located on Tangier Road. Richard studied law at Cambridge University, graduating in 1993, and received a Department for Education bursary to take a Master’s degree in Bruges, Belgium. He went to Law School in 1994 with funding from his first employer, and started work in 1995.

Richard practised law in the private sector for over 5 years, and qualified as a solicitor in 1997. On a year out from work for the duration of the mayoral year, Richard has since 2000 been working in the public law field as part of the Government Legal Service.

Richard lives with his partner Wayne, an American citizen, in Old Portsmouth. A former member of both the Portsmouth Schools and Hampshire Youth Orchestras, in his spare time Richard still enjoys music, and is also a keen swimmer.

School friends since starting at Priory together in 1984, Miriam Kenny-Williams is Lady Mayoress. Miriam is a music teacher, and keen pianist, and currently teaches at St Vincent College in Gosport. She has also recently qualified as a yoga teacher. Miriam and her husband Matt live in central Southsea.